Rotary wire-straightener.



H. F. HUBBARD.

ROTARY WIRE STRAIGHTENER,

APPLICATION FILED JAN.26,1914.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

2 SHEETS'SHEET 1.

TNF NORRIS PETERS c0. PHOTO-L/THO WASHINGTON. D. c

H. F. HUBBARD.

ROTARY WIRE STRAIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.26,1914

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHGTO LITHOW WASHINGION. D 1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F..HUBIBARD, or SHELTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR r swan PIN COMPANY, or SHELTON, CONNECTICUT, a CORPORATION or CONNECTICUT.

ROTARY WIRE-STRAIGHTENER.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an.'5, 191.5.

Application filed January 26, 1914. Serial No. 814,386.

1 0 all whom it may concern Be it known thatI, HENRY F. HUBBARD,

a citizen of the United States, residing in lowing is a full and clear specification.

My invention relates to rotary wire straighteners adapted to work upon a continuous wire coming from a coil or other supply. Apparatus of this character is commonly employed in conjunction with a mechanism for producing articles such as pins, hooks and eyes, and the like, from wire.

It has already beenproposed to straighten a continuous wire by leading it axially into and from a rotating shaft and passing the intermediate portion of the wire between the entrance and exit points over a surface out of alinement with the axis.

My present invention provides certain improvements in wire straighteners of this t e. The improvements contemplated by the present invention include an adjustment for the angle at which from its axial line on its way through the straightener, and improved construction of the offsetting member overwhich the wire is led to divert it from the axial line of the rotating shaft.

An apparatus embodying the principles of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a rotary wire straightener; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of through the operating parts; and Fig. 4 is the same: Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section a transverse section on the line IV-IV, Fig. 3.

Referring more specifically to said drawings, 10 indicates the frame upon which are formed the stepped bearing blocks 11, 12, for the reception of the spindle 13 and the tubular sections 14, 15. The spindle 13 is rotatably held in bearing blocks 11, 12 by cover blocks 16, 17, which are secured by screws 18, 19, and the tubular sections 14, 15 are adjustably fixed against rotation in the bearing blocks 11, 12, by cover blocks 20, 21, which are secured by screws 22, 23. The spindle 13 has tubular ends and within these tubular ends the tubular sections 14,

the wire is displaced 15 arev disposed. Bushings 24, are secured within the ends of tubular sections 14, 15, by set screws 25.

It will be apparent that the spindle 13 and bushings 24 are in axial alinement, and that the spindle 13 rotates while the bushings are stationary. The wire to be straightened is led from suitable guides into the apparatus through the bushings in tubular member 15 and it is withdrawn from the apparatus through the bushings in tubular member 14. Between the tubular members 14 and 15 the spindle is slotted at 26 and 27 and upon the central portion of the spindle a rotary guide disk 28 is fixedby set screw 29. The guide disk 28 is slotted to receive the. wire and it is provided with a hub 30 upon which is loosely positioned a free collar 31.

A drive pulley 32 is fixed on spindle 13, in the present instance being shown as mounted over the slotted portion 27 of the spindle and therefore recessed to provide clearance for the wire. The wire in passing from tubular member 15 to tubular member 14 is diverted from axial direction by passing through recesses 27, 26 and over the free collar 31, the offset or diverted loop of wire being continuously revolved, about the spindle axis by means of the slotted guide disk 28 without rotating about the axis of the wire. During this revolving operation, the free collar 31 is caused to move relatively to its supporting guide disk 28 by the frictional engagement of the wire with the collar, and due to the non-rotary motion of the wire the collar is caused to have relative rotary motion with respect to the wire. In this way the wear upon free collar 31 is distributed, thus providing against the formation of grooves therein. It will also be apparent that the bushings 24 at the inner ends of the tubular members 14, 15 are subjected to uniform wear by the revolving motion of the loop of wire passing through them. By loosening the screws 22, 23, without the necessity of arresting the operation of the apparatus, the tubular members 14,

. 15 may be moved toward or away from the free collar 31, thereby adjusting the angle of diversion to which the wire is subjected in passing through the machine.

It will be obvious that the function of the guide disk 28 is to cause the loop of wire to revolve about the axis and that for this pur- 11o pose only "one" groove is necessary in the disk. In the embodiment shown the disk is provided With two grooves, but any desired number may be provided. Furthermore it Will be apparent that the function of the disk is accomplished by engagement of the rear Wall oftheslot With the vvire.

and that the grooved construction is employed only as a convenient Way of producing'an arm-like projection in the path of the Wire, wherebyi't'he loop of Wire is caused torevolve. The 'tubul-ar'members 14-. and 15 serve not only' as axial guides forthe Wire, but" also' as members for adjusting the angle through which the loop of wire is led over.

the-tree collar 31, and the mounting of the members ltand 15 Within thetubul-ar'e'nds 1 A rotary Wire straightenercomprising inncombina'tion a sp ndle, means for leading wire-to and from said spindle in: axial di- I8Gt1OII,' a wire; diverting member freelyvolving the diverted portion of the Wire.

2. A rotaryvvire straightenercomprising in combination a spindleyme'ans for leading mounted on said spindle,'.and means for re- Wire. to and. fromsaid spindle in axialvdiv eotion, a Wire diverting collaflrf freely mounted upon said spindle, andmeans for revolving the diverted portion'ofth'e "Wire 3. A rotary W-ire----straightener comprising n combmatlon a rotary spindle, means for guiding the Wire to and from-said spindle in axial direction-,a free-"collar disposed on I said sslifii'rdle; for diverting the Wire, and meansfor' revolving the diverted portion of the wire 4. A rotary Wire straightener comprising i incombination a -rotaryspin'dle,' means for guidin g'th'e Wire to'and from said spindle in axial direction, a grooved guide disk fixed to said rotary v spindle, and a. free collar looselvimounte'd on 'said guide device for e diverting; the Wire. g

" I "HEN- YE HUBBARD? Witnesses:

v GEO. E. BARBER,

Copies ot this patent may be obtaine d lorflvespcents each, fay addressing the Commissioner of ratents,

- l V 1 a :Washington DaG? 

